INTRODUCTION: Genesis is the book of beginnings. In it we are given ten records of generations:1. The Universe - Genesis 2:4.
2. Adam - Genesis 5:1.
3. Noah - Genesis 6:9.
4. Noah's Sons - Genesis 10:1.
5. Shem - Genesis 11:10.
6. Terah - Genesis 11:27.
7. Ishmael - Genesis 25:12.
8. Isaac - Genesis 25:19.
9. Esau - Genesis 36:1.
10. Jacob - Genesis 37:2.
GENESIS 36 Esau's generations are passed over rather bluntly. We are given the names of his wives and descendants. The record of how his people married with the Horites is also given. His descendants were known in Bible history as the Edomites.
From a worldly viewpoint, Esau's people were very prosperous [Genesis 27:39-40]. While Israel was still just a small family clan, the Edomites enjoyed royalty and political power. We will do well to note this. Material wealth and power is no certain mark of divine power. God's nation developed slowly and with much affliction, yet God's purposes were being carried out according to the divine plan. How often the "true Israel" is tempted to envy the "Edomites" of this world [Psalm 37:1-7, 34-40].
GENESIS 37 Here begins the story of Joseph. This is a favorite Bible narrative to many. In it we have a wonderful illustration of God's special providence toward His people [Romans 8:28]. We are herein assured that human ill-will cannot hinder God's gracious purposes toward His people.
I. IN CANAAN - verse 1.
The patriarchs lived as strangers in the land God had promised them. The time for Israel to inherit the land was still hundreds of years away.II. JOSEPH - verse 2.
Here we meet Joseph, whose birth was recorded in Genesis 30. Even as a teenager we note his godly character. This is even more impressive when we contrast it to the sad character of his older brothers. Joseph was a man who never followed the crowd. The record of his reporting to Jacob the evil doings of his brothers is intended to reveal his faithful character.We note that most of the fathers of the twelve tribes were men of questionable conduct. Certainly the polygamous family and its attendant evils and jealousies were responsible for much of this. Let us learn here that grace does not run in bloodlines. Even though God carried out His purposes through Israel as a chosen nation, most of them as individuals never knew God. Not all physical sons of Abraham were like Joseph; they were not all spiritual sons [John 8:39, Galatians 3:29].
III. THE COAT OF MANY COLORS - verses 3-4.
Joseph was the beloved of his father. Jacob made him a special coat that was to reveal Joseph's pre-eminent position [II Samuel 13:18].We wonder if Jacob acted wisely in all of this. Surely he remembered the trials that favoritism had caused in his parents' home. It had separated him from his mother just as it would separate him from Joseph. It is easier to emulate the weakness of parents than it is to imitate their strengths. Notice, however, that even human folly can be used to carry out God's sovereign will. The anger of Joseph's brothers, as with Esau only furthered God's plan [Psalm 76:10].
IV. THE DREAMER - verses 5-11.
To make matters worse with his jealous brothers, Joseph had two dreams that pictured his future exaltation. Many have felt that Joseph was wrong in telling of these dreams as they only created more jealousy. I am unable to agree with this. Joseph seems to have realized that these dreams were prophetic and came by divine impulse. As prophecies, they had to be told so that it would be known that God's word was being fulfilled in future events. The dreams were literally fulfilled when Joseph was made lord in Egypt. There is no doubt at that time all involved remembered these dreams, and knew that God had kept His word.V. JOSEPH SEEKING HIS BROTHERS - verses 12-17.
Shechem was a fifty-mile journey. Dothan was twenty-five miles from Shechem on a trade route.VI. AN EVIL SCHEME - verses 18-28.
How shocking that these men could consider murdering their own brother. We could scarcely believe it had we not already been introduced to their heartless character [Genesis 34]. One cannot help but feel that they were fighting against God's prophetic word [verses 19-20).Again, we cannot help but notice God's wonderful providence. Human affairs may look like a tangled mess, but God is weaving out the tapestry of His plan. Little could Joseph, his brothers, or the Ishmaelites have known what God was doing.
VII. GRIEF - verses 29-35.
Here we learn that Reuben had planned to rescue Joseph. Was he trying to get back in his father's good graces? We cannot know. It seems that his grief was sincere.When Jacob was shown the bloody coat, even the hardened brothers of Joseph must have felt miserable. Jacob's life was centered on Joseph. They must have felt that they would be the death of their father. We later learn that conscience had indeed been tormenting them [Genesis 42:21].
VIII. JOSEPH IN EGYPT - verse 36.
How we would like to know what was going through Joseph's mind. We do know that he did not cease to trust God. Perhaps even here he remembered that life's tangles are God's embroidery.
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